Introduction
Spoilers Ahead!
In the penultimate issue of the newest chapter of Marvel Zombies, this "Red Band" version of the comic book sets up the finale of what is set to be an exciting ending. If you can forgive all of the transgressions from the previous three issues and in this one, Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 is so far the best issue of the series.
Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 has its highlights, such as the art and some of its plot points, and it is overall the best issue in the series so far, but it is not enough to save the series as a whole. It is fun and campy, but it falls short of not only the legacy of the original Marvel Zombies but also of what a "Red Band" comic should be.
Story Summary
In Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4, we see Spider-Man, Doctor Octavius, Jessica Jones, and Ultron land back on Earth after escaping Battleworld. After a fight with a horde of zombies and an introduction from Deadpool, the remaining old Avengers meet up with the New Avengers. This team is made up of Black Panther, Wolverine, Iron Fist, Magik, and Doctor Strange, who serve as the last line of defense on a fallen Earth. On the other side of New York, Captain America and the rest of the zombies are debating why exactly a cosmic entity is the reason they need to push forward with their continued invasion.
While the old and new Avengers are introducing themselves, Spider-Man finally reveals to the rest of the heroes, specifically his old classmate Jessica Jones, that he is in fact the wall-crawler. While on a reconnaissance meeting, Doc Ock and Doctor Strange run into a feuding team of zombies who do not exactly see eye to eye on the subjugation of this unknown cosmic entity. Reed Richards is then able to capitalize on the aftermath to claim the Infinity Gauntlet and the last Infinity Stone.
The Penultimate Fallout
Reed Richards, now possessing the Infinity Gauntlet, is back to being at the top of the zombie hill. Will Richards, his faction of the undead, and this unknown cosmic entity end up conquering the rest of what remains on Earth? Or are Spider-Man, Jessica Jones, and the rest of the New Avengers going to hold the line and save whatever is left of their world? Are Captain America and Iron Man still alive, or did their clash finally lead them to their final resting place?
With only one issue remaining in the series, Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 is set up for an explosive ending that might save what has been a mixed bag thus far.
What Worked
In a vacuum, I am really not digging the shoehorning of major Marvel events into this series. We have seen the initial space mission of the Fantastic Four, Secret Wars, and the Infinity Gauntlet all within the first three issues of this series. All of these are incredibly rushed and mess with the pacing of the plot. However, this review is only for this issue and not the whole series.
The Civil War bit worked for this issue. It makes sense that the zombified Marvel characters differ in their reasons for continuing to eat the universe. Captain America does not want to feel subjected to an unknown being that Tony Stark and Reed Richards wish to appease. Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic feel as though this entity is the only way to go. This friction between the zombies would have been a great story to explore with a few issues, but it ultimately goes back to the original sin of this comic. However, as a single issue, that is an interesting angle to take.
The dynamic between all of the heroes fighting for Earth works well. There is one common goal, and even in a world where they do not all know each other, there is a sense of community and togetherness. This is true of all the heroes in any universe.
What Didn’t
If the zombies possess reasoning and logic, why are they still hunting and killing their loved ones for food? They are cognizant and can distinguish between right and wrong, specifically in this issue. Captain America knows that he does not want to work for some nameless and faceless entity; however, he cannot reason his way out of eating his friends and family. I know that canonically the hunger for a zombie is unrelenting and never-ending, yet it seems logically inconsistent. This is a central sticking point throughout the series, and it stands out especially in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4.
One lesser complaint is that the assumption that a Red Band line of comics is for a more mature audience suggests the reader should be prepared for a more sophisticated book. Perhaps I am just desensitized, but when comparing the Marvel Red Band line to the DC Black Label series, I do not think there is much difference between the regular Marvel line and the Red Band line. There are a few more graphic moments, such as the scenes of zombies eating, but overall I do not believe this needs to be designated as a Red Band book. It feels more like a regular publication.
Art
The art from Jan Bazaldua fits perfectly with the zombie aesthetic of Marvel Zombies. With so much going on in the issue, it is easy for an artist to get lost in the bigger picture, but what works so well for the Mexican artist is the detail in her zombie work. The work Bazaldua has done on the zombies is exquisite. There is no confusion as to who is a zombie and who is not. Even when there is a horde of zombies, they have a fantastic look; they appear as one cloud of zombies while still looking like a distinct group of individuals. While not as violent or gory as it could have been given the parameters the team worked within, Bazaldua did a fantastic job of being as vividly horrific as possible.
The best zombie look by far is that of Reed Richards. Bazaldua does a great job of making him look like he has gone through a great deal. If you have read issues one through three, you know that he has. He has a great look that combines his stretching powers with the decay of a zombie, which will go down as the highlight of this series for Bazaldua. The heroes who are not zombies also look fantastic. The facial work of Bazaldua on the characters who are not zombified truly comes alive. Overall, it is a tremendous aesthetic for a dystopian Earth.
Final Verdict
While it is the best issue of the series so far, Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 still falls short of its classic predecessor. In this issue, the art has been a continuous highlight of the book, as the work of Jan Bazaldua fits perfectly with the aesthetic of that dystopian universe. While the homages to other classic Marvel storylines have been shoehorned into all of the issues so far, the approach works in this one. This series could really succeed if it were an ongoing series rather than a miniseries.
The ambitions and justifications of the characters seem all over the place and fail to make sense or follow any logic. However, despite its faults, Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 can still be fun if it is read without comparing it to the other, better chapters of the Marvel Zombies franchise.